1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flexible hose. More particularly, the device and method herein relate to a hose configured to expand from a collapsed state to an expanded length which is a multiple of the collapsed length and thereafter be returnable to the collapsed state for storage. The hose has a skeleton component about its exterior which provides a means to maintain a fully open axial conduit running therethrough even when extended fully and concurrently contorted to a serpentine fashion.
2. Prior Art
Hoses are used throughout the industrialized world as flexible conduits for fluid or air passage therethrough. Flexible hose is employed in many arts and industries and applications, for instance, but not limited to, drainage hose for homes and vehicles, electric vacuums, air ducts, swimming pools drainage and a virtually infinite number of uses. Such flexible hose is often characterized by high hoop strength, resistance to wear, and of course, flexibility. The versatility of flexible hosing provides for easy and advantageous use in many applications where ridged hoses or pipes would be cumbersome.
Prior art has shown many attempts to provide the most versatile and resilient hose, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,200 to Dillon. This patent is an example of conventional hose art in that a continuous and flexible inner channel member generally of a “U” shape, is helically wrapped to form the inner structure of the hose. The “U” shaped inner member consists of a horizontal base and a first and second vertical sidewalls defining the ‘U’ structure as would be shown in a cross sectional view.
Upon successive wrappings of the inner member, the trailing sidewall of the one wrap is proximate the leading sidewall of an adjacent wrap. These adjacent sidewalls are then integrally bonded at their top edges with a crown or cap member. The crown member is also continuous and generally of an inverted U shaped to operatively engage the extending top edges of the adjacently disposed sidewalls of the successive wrappings of the inner member.
In use, the inner member typically provides the flexibility of the structure while the crown member provides the rigid support and hoop strength. However, flexibility provided by the inner member is through the deformation of the remaining sidewalls not disposed within the crown member (i.e. below the extending top edges to the base), and is therefor limited by the length of the sidewalls. Insofar as the inner diameter of the hose is dictated by the base portion of the inner U member, to increase the length of the sidewalls (and therefor increase flexibility) would substantially decrease the inner diameter of the hose.
Many prior art flexible hosing are spiral wound in manufacture similar to the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,508 Chivens et. al. Continuous inner and outer strips of material are fed over a mandrel, overlapped and interlocked to form the hose. The inner strip generally provides the flexibility in the hose structure while the outer strip acts as a rigid cap providing the hoop strength. Feed and guide driving rollers align and position the continuous strips of material for engagement with one another, while spirally winding then about the central mandrel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,780 to Squirrell and U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,078 to Lykle also teach interlocking helical design flexible hose. However, these and many other prior art hose are limited in flexibility and may tend to fatigue after extended and prolonged use due the interlocking nature of their designs. Furthermore, hosing of great length or diameter can be greatly cumbersome and nuisance for manufacture, shipping, and storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,596,119 to Boettner teaches a flexible and extendable hose typically used for holding tank drainage. Although providing extendability as desired for compact storage, Boettner evidently sacrifices durability and hoop strength.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,759 Yamamura and U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,523 to Smith et. al. teach extending spiral hose. The hose generally comprises a cover and reinforcing member. The reinforcing member generally provides the hoop strength while the cover provides the means of flexibility and extendability. The cover further employs a substantial fold between successive wrappings of the reinforcing member that operatively unfold when extending and define the means for extending the hose.
However, Smith and Yamamura teach the cover disposed on the outer surface of the reinforcing member. Smith further teaches the fold of the cover disposed on the outermost surface of the hose when collapsed. This exposes the flexible cover to the outside environment leaving it vulnerable to damage which can easily render the hose useless.
As such there is a continuing and unmet need for a new and improved spiral hose that provides unmatched flexibility and durability. Such a hose should be extendable to a multiple of its collapsed state, and retractable after such an expansion, for compact storage and transportation. Using a novel process and attachments, such a hose should preferably be easily manufactured using conventional machinery available for hose production to insure widespread manufacture and use. Further, such a hose, should be able to be manufactured in a highly customizable fashion to yield a plurality of sizes and desired ratios of extension and retraction.